Thill-coupling.



UNTTET) Parser ra ion.

THOMAS A. MORAN, or MANKATQMINNESOTA.

'rnrLL-coUr-Lme.

' Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Application filed August 13, 1907. Serial a). 388,400.

particularly to a thill coupling comprising pivoted coupling links and aspring held latching device for holding said links against accidentaldisplacement. r

In connection with a thill coupling of th above type, the inventionailiis as a primary object to providea novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, the details of which will appear in the courseof the following description in which reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, like characters of reference 'designatlng simllar'parts,

throughout the several views, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the manner of use of the thillcoupling constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig.2 isa side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a central horizontal sectional view.

Fig. l is a central longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 5. isa detailedperspective view of a bracket comprehended in theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, "the numeral 10 denotes the axle tree andthe numeral 11 denotes a member including a U bolt 12 straddling theaxletree and a forwardly projecting bracket 13. The bolt 12 has thelower end of its legs threaded to receive nuts 14: which holda'clamping' plate 15. q

The bracket 13 is provided at opposite sides thereof withupper and loweralined apertured lugs 16' which cooperate (with lugs 17 on the couplinglinks 18 to surround pivot pins 19. Thelinks18 are formed at. theirouter ends with laterally and inwardly projecting pins 20 whichterminate short of one another and which carry conical washers 21 forcedinwardly into engagement with the thillsby expansive coil springs 22surrounding the pins 20.' It will thus be seen that the links 18. arecapable of movement in a horizontal plane to disengage the pins 20 fromthe thills. For the purpose of holding said links against accidentaldisplacement a latching device is employed which comprises a transverseshaft 23 mounted in bearings 24 carried by the bracket 13 and formedatits ends with parallel forwardly and downwardly projecting arms 25 whichbear againstthe links 18.

The arms 25 are connected by a transverse bar 25. carrying at acentral-point a proj ecting finger piece 26 to which is connected aretractile coil spring 27 the other end of said spring being connectedto the bracket 13'. It will be apparent that the spring 27 will hold theshaft 23 in such position that the arms 25 will overlie the sides of thelinks 18 for-the, purpose above noted, and that movement of said arms topermit of the disengagement of the links 18 is had by turning the shaft23, the finger piece 26 affording a ready means for such action.

' The invention is simple in its structural details, inexpensive tomanufacture and practical and eflicient in use.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and eflicientmeans are provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, butWhile the elements herein shown and described are well adapted to servethe functions set forth, it is obvious that various minor changes maybemade in the proportions, shapeand arrangement of the several parts,without departing from the spirit and, scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

7 That is claimed is: 1. In a thill coupling, a bracket, oppositelyarranged links hinged to the bracket, I

carried by'each of the pins.

2. A thill coupling of the class described, comprising a stationarybracket, thill coupling links pivoted thereto for movement towards andaway from each other in engaging and disengaging the thills, inwardlydirected pins carried by the links, spring controlled washers on thepins, a shaft mounted transversely of said bracket, arms carried by saidshaft and formed to overlie said coupling links to hold the same inengagenient with said thills, and tension means for holding, the arms inoperative position.

3. A thill coupling of the class descrlbed,

comprising a stationary bracket, thill coupling links pivoted theretofor movement towards and away from each other in engaging anddisengaging the thill, a shaft mounted transversely of said bracket andhaving depending arms at opposite ends normally overlying the links tohold the same against movement, a pin on the inner face of each link,yieldable members carried by the pins, and tension means for holding itthe arms in their normal posltlon.

in testimony whereof, I aln'x my slgnit- I tare, 1n presence of twoWitnesses.

THOMAS A. MORAN.

, Witnesses:

Hi-unusoN G. Sornu'r'r, kl. XV. VOLK.

